Felon With Prior Convictions Charged With Federal Firearms Offenses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 26, 2011

PITTSBURGH, Pa. ‑ A resident of Pittsburgh, Pa., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearm laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

According to the indictment presented to the court, Galloway possessed: a 9mm caliber Smith and Wesson semiautomatic pistol and fourteen 9mm caliber cartridges on Sept. 11, 2008; a 9mm caliber Ruger semiautomatic pistol and eighteen 9mm caliber cartridges on Nov. 26, 2008; and a 40 S&W caliber Glock semiautomatic pistol and twenty‑seven 40 S&W cartridges on Oct. 18, 2009. Galloway had been previously convicted at two cases in the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Galloway had also been previously convicted at four cases in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County of Person Not to Possess a Firearm, Receiving Stolen Property, Criminal Trespass and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year from possessing ammunition or a firearm.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence at each count of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Coraopolis Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment or information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.